Emerging media from the borderlands of Jewish identity

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When I recall the moments in which my grandfather Leonard grappled to keep pace with the energy he had set for himself, a feeling of sadness always stirs in me. I wonder if these exposures were a strength—simple humanness when regarded with a pang of tenderness—or glitches in Leonard’s rough character that could be viewed as a weakness and with feelings of pity.

It seems the closer I am to a situation or person, the more easily I separate myself from something negatively affecting it. For example, upon seeing a limping and homeless animal I lament inexhaustibly for it. When I see something that evokes pity or grief, I feel the need to become closer to it—to help it and understand its suffering. This is a reaction that quickly mends grief: once close to the source and comprehending the reasons for it, sadness dissipates.

When recently I saw Leonard’s signed credit card among remnants on a table, I felt relieved: this piece of modern reality was relatable—it made sense. There was no gap in time or custom, no cause for me to over-compensate mystery with emotion.

HALF-REMEMBERED STORIES

In July 2010, we will be rolling out a multi-media exhibition about lost people, lost places, and the quest to reclaim lost memory. In preparation for this exhibit, we've invited 16 young Jews, ages 15 to 25, to blog.